yoga

Jan

2015

The 6 Stages of Disease

The Shānghán lùn 傷寒論, known as the treatise on cold injury or cold damage disorders, is a Chinese medical text compiled by Zhang Zhongjing 张仲景 around the end of the Han dynasty period. It is one the oldest completed medical books in the world. The Shānghán lùn has 398 chapters, 113 herbal prescriptions, and is organized by the six stages of disease.

Tai Yang 太陽, Greater Yang • A milder stage with external symptoms of chills, fever, stiffness, and headache.

Therapeutic Principle: Promote Sweating.

Yang Ming 陽明, Yang Brightness • A more severe internal excess yang condition presenting as fever without chills, distended abdomen, and constipation.

Therapeutic Principle: Cooling and Eliminating.

Shao Yang 少陽, Lesser Yang • A Shao Yang type person are most young adults in their prime, a medium body type that bounces back from extremes. Pathogenic factor is half outside, half inside; Half excess, half deficiency, presenting as chest discomfort, and alternating chills and fever.

Therapeutic Principle: Harmonizing.

Tai Yin 太陰, Greater Yin • A Tai Yin type person lacks tone, has flacid tissues, is pale, puffy, bigger on bottom than top, there is deficiency of Spleen Yang effecting proper digestion leading to overall dampness. Presents with chills, and distended abdomen with occasional pain.

Therapeutic Principle: Warming and Supplementing.

Shao Yin 少陰, Lesser Yin • A Shao Yin type person has not much muscle, flat chest, narrow hips. There is a deficiency of Yin (which controls Yang) resulting in Yin fire effulgence. Presents with weak pulse, anxiety, drowsiness, diarrhea, chills, and cold extremities.

Therapeutic Principle: Warming and Supplementing.

Jue Yin 厥陰, Absolute Yin • Presents with signs of thirst, difficult urination, and physical collapse.

Therapeutic Principle: Warming and Supplementing.

Apr

2014

Some Historical Perspective on Food and Its Preparation

The history of Chinese cooking goes deep into history and is marked by both variety and change. The archeologist and scholar Zhāng Guāngzhí says “Chinese people are especially preoccupied with food,” and “food is at the center of, or at least it accompanies or symbolizes, many social interactions.” Over the course of history, he says, “continuity vastly outweighs change.” He explains basic organizing principles which go back to earliest times and give a continuity to the food tradition, principally that a normal meal is made up of fan [grains and other starches] and cai [vegetable dishes].

Chinese perspective on food and its preparation has evolved gradually over the centuries as new food sources and techniques have been introduced, discovered, or invented. Although many of the most important characteristics appeared very early, others did not appear or did not become important until relatively late. The first chopsticks, for instance, were probably used for cooking, stirring the fire, and serving bits of food and were not initially used as eating utensils. They began to take on this role during the Han dynasty, but it was not until the Ming that they became ubiquitous for both serving and eating. It was not until the Ming dynasty also that chopsticks acquired their present name [kuàizi 筷子] and their present shape. The wok may also have been introduced during the Han dynasty, but again its initial use was limited to drying grains. Its present use of stir-frying, as well as boiling, steaming, roasting, and deep-frying, and did not develop until the Ming dynasty.

Zhāng Guāngzhí 張光直 [1931–2001], Food in Chinese Culture: Anthropological & Historical Perspectives, Yale University Press, 1977. [pg. 15–20]

Jan

2014

Moderate Daily Exercise

Rest and exercise should compliment one another. Rest with little physical exertion tends to be harmful to the body; long-term sitting being harmful to the muscles, and lying down for extended periods harms the Qi. It can be concluded that even with good diet and rest, but without physical exercise, the entire system is burdened.

Harmony is the essential characteristic of the Chinese philosophy of health. Everything from Heaven and Earth, to the seasons, to the five elements, to the human body, must remain harmonious with the Tao [Universal Qi] in order to maintain its existence. To preserve vital Qi we must learn to flow with the Tao and seek harmony and balance. In this way, moderation is key.

Choose suitable, individualized, daily physical exercise to reduce stress and the hazards of disease. It should be noted that lifting and bearing beyond one’s true strength harms to the body. Qi Gong, T’ai Chi, and yoga are excellent practices to promote healthy organ functioning, nervous system, and circulation among plentiful other benefits.